Democracy For Nepal

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Voting Rights For Immigrants In New York City

Monday, August 28, 2006

How To Conduct A Meeting

How To Conduct A Meeting

You earn democracy. And then you have meetings. Meetings after meetings after meetings. Meetings can get out of hand, they can start late, and last forever, and you might end up not getting much of substance. That can lead to frustration. The morale of the group might go down.

Show up on time. Show respect for others.

I have never been fond of the strict versions of the Robert's Rules Of Order, but then my number one rule there is don't let the rules bog you down. You can simplify the procedures. The simplest rule is there is one leader, only one person speaks at a time, and decisions are taken through vote. When the goal of the group is clear, the meeting can move fast. A smaller core group can set the formal agenda beforehand. That can save time.

But sometimes if people come in with a hidden agenda to slow down progress, their desire might be to prolong the meeting and lead it to an indefinite conclusion. This can be seen when you are talking issues like social justice. When that happens, you have to remember each person still is worth one vote, and each person has a right to be heard, and there you go to the elaborate Robert's Rules Of Order. Otherwise you invite chaos.

The Robert's Rules Of Order is not exactly Nobel Prize for Physics category stuff. People have been holding meetings for thousands of years. People get heard, people make decisions. But this guy I guess put it down on paper. White guy.

My preferred method is to combine face time with screen time. Create a group blog for free so each person has unlimited space to say whatever it is they want to say. If they are having to put it down in writing, people are also kind of forced to summarize what they are having to say. And you have bridge activists who blog on behalf of a group.

But then this is a high tech version. You are assuming people have internet access, and are comfortable blogging.

The plus point is the group blog idea throws Robert out the window. You free people of both space and time constraints. Internet access is quite wide in Nepal also. And blogging is as easy as email.

Revolutionary zeal makes it easier to have meetings. When the goal is clear - end a dictatorship - meetings run fast and smooth. The thing to realize right now is that the revolution is still on. All the concrete achievements are still ahead of us. We have to articulate the ongoing revolution. And meetings will get easier all over again.

The guide to action still is to create common minimum programs.

Proposed Constitution
Who Will Tie The Bell Round The Cat's Neck

On The Web

Robert's Rules Of Order

The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site
Robert's Rules of Order Online - Parliamentary Procedure and ...
Robert's Rules Online - Parliamentary Procedure and Parliamentarians
Robert's Rules Of Order | Quick Reference
Robert, Henry M. 1915. Robert’s Rules of Order Revised for ...
Robert's Rule of Order - Some Basics
Parliamentary Procedure According to Robert's Rules
Robert's Rules of Order Revised
Robert's Rules of Order - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Trout's Top Ten Rules of Order

How To Conduct A Meeting

[PDF] HOW TO CONDUCT A MEETING
Salary | Advice | How to Conduct a Meeting: Ground Rules ...
[PDF] HowtoConduct a Meeting
[PDF] Helpful Hints on “How to Conduct a Meeting”
[PDF] Conduct a Meeting
How to Conduct a Meeting
[PDF] How to Conduct a Meeting
[PDF] How to Conduct a Meeting – Tips Don’t use meetings to disseminate ...
[PDF] Conduct a Meeting
HOW TO CONDUCT A MEETING

Icebreakers

Educational Icebreakers
Icebreakers - Break the Ice in Classrooms or Meetings
Icebreakers to Inspire Communication : Eslflow webguide
Icebreakers, Warmups, Energizers & Deinhibitizers
Leadership - Icebreakers, Warm-up, Review, and Motivators Activities
The Top 10 Icebreakers for Meetings and Training Seminars
Ice Breakers - Business Fundamentals
Group Skills (Committees, Teams, Focus Groups, etc.)
Internet Icebreakers
Free Icebreakers, teambuilding exercises, corporate icebreakers
Ice Breakers
Selected Student Generated Ice Breakers and Exercises
Ice-breakers - Games, icebreakers, ice-breakers
Warmup Activities
Icebreakers
Anagram Ice Breaking Activity
Icebreakers
10 Ways to Break the Ice
Sizzlin Session Starters

Blogging

Blogger: Create your Blog Now -- FREE
Blog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Google Blog Search

Taking Minutes

Taking Minutes at a Meeting
Taking meeting minutes
Taking Minutes - Useful Tips
ALA | Tips for Taking Minutes
Taking Minutes Like a Pro
Taking Minutes at a Meeting - How to take minutes of a meeting
Taking Minutes Whose Job Is It And Why?

Leadership Skills

Leadership Skills - leadership development - building trust ...
leadership tips, theory, skills, training and development
Leadership Skills
Developing Your Leadership Skills
Mind Tools
The Eleven Skills of Leadership
Motivational Management - Developing Leadership Skills
Presentation skills effective communication team building ...
Leadership Skills from Mind Tools - Discover the leader within you
VOA News - West African Female Politicians Learn Leadership Skills
Leadership Knowledge Base: Build Effective Leadership Skills

Conflict Resolution

Conflict Resolution Network - Home page
CRN The Twelve Skills
Conflict Resolution Skills
Conflict Resolution: A Core Competency?
Social Skills: Handout 9
Out on a Limb: A Guide to Getting Along
Conflict Resolution
Conflict Resolution in the Classroom
CENMI.ORG - Focus on Results - Dispute Resolution

Be A Good Friend

The Friendship Page: How To Be A Good Friend
Are you a good friend? A quick and easy quiz to help you figure ...
be a good friend on 43 Things
Wired News: See If You're a Good Friend
Making (and Keeping) Friends: A Model for Social Skills ...
Top Tips to Help Kids Build Social Skills and Make Friends
Social Skills: Finding Friends and Persuading People
Making And Keeping Friends - Building Skills That Enhance ...

Productive Meetings

Mind Tools - Running Effective Meetings & Writing Meeting Minutes
9 tips for running more productive meetings | 43 Folders
Article 295- Creative and Productive Meetings
Top 7 Strategies for Productive Meetings
How To Have Productive Meetings: iVillage
Effective/Productive Meetings
Co-op Tools : Tips for Productive Meetings
Creating Productive Meetings
Making Meetings Productive
The Obvious?: Productive meetings
Planning and Leading Productive Meetings
Organising productive meetings
How to Have a Productive Meeting

Reform Is Hard To Push Through

Presidential Primary Reform

MyDD :: Primary Reform and the California Plan

Critiquing The Nepali Congress Proposed Constitution
Proposed Republican Constitution 2006 (January 1, 2006)
Janata Dal Constitution (August 8, 2005)
This Inadequate, Improper, Insufficient 1990 Constitution (April 4, 2005)

Reform is hard to push through. And I guess I understand to an extent.

It is widely perceived in the progressive circles in the US that the presidential primary system in the country is flawed. And there have been many counter proposals. My favorite is something called the California Plan. It makes great sense. There is this mathematical beauty to it. But it is not even talked about in the mainstream.

And so I don't feel too let down about my Proposed Constitution not being talked about, although it has been read by some political heavyweights. I know Deuba read it when he was in jail. His response: "interesting."

It is almost like it is the Maoists who are pushing the rest of the parties to reform. And that is sad because the Maoist ways of violence and extortions have been quite a letdown. I wish the seven parties got proactive. But then they sure are having to balance a lot of forces. Already the achievements have been great. The ceasefire is a big achievement. Everything else looks like were on schedule.

But precisely because political reform is hard, it is very important we do the constitution right. Because once it has been given shape, it will become hard to make changes.

Like John Kennedy once noted, people always think it is some other family causing overpopulation. And that is true of reform. It is always some other person or group that needs to change. That is what makes reform tricky. People want to keep the power they have and seek changes to enhance that power. And so rearranging power is tough business. There is this inertia against change in the first place. Does not matter if the change is positive.

Bold, visionary leadership helps. But that is not easy coming. And the system has ways to sackle the leadership. But reform has to be attempted nevertheless.

On The Web

Political Reform
Political Reform
Center for Governmental Studies / Political Reform
Political Reform
Political Reform in the Arab World - Carnegie Endowment for ...
Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Political Reform in the Arab ...
International Crisis Group - The Challenge of Political Reform ...
Campaign Finance Reform: Money Buys Political Power
[PDF] 114 BHUTAN: POLITICAL REFORM IN A BUDDHIST MONARCH Y Thierry ...
China's Top Worries: Lagging Political Reform, Corruption, Environment
NPR : Political Reform in the Arab World
Campaign finance reform - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Electoral reform - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American Health Care Reform
[PDF] Political Reform in China's Cities: Introducing Community Elections
Launch political reform in the context of developing economy
Gerrymandering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Institutional Reform and Democratic Consolidation in Korea
Opportunistic Political Cycles: Test in a Young Democracy Setting
Democracy and Africa | African Democracies | Democracies in Africa ...
[PDF] Kazakhstan Strengthens Democracy in Central Asia
Youth Seen as 'Heart' of Democracy Movement in Egypt
[PDF] Democracy and Development: Devil in the Details
Abdeslam Maghraoui - Monarchy and Political Reform in Morocco ...
Suchit Bunbongkan - Thailand's Successful Reforms - Journal of ...
Boehm, Christian: Democracy in Kyrgyzstan - Reforms, Rhetorics and ...
ARDA - Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia
[PDF] The Politics of Democracy in Malaysia
Reforms vs. Democracy in the Arab World
World Movement for Democracy - Second Assembly Report
Morocco: democracy denied, by John P Entelis
Daniel Griswold, "Globalization, Human Rights, and Democracy ...
Foreign Affairs - How to Help Poor Countries - Nancy Birdsall ...
[PDF] Perspectives on the Impact of Political Reform on the Regional ...
RFA: Top Vietnamese Adviser Calls for Economic, Political Reform
Foreign Affairs - The Right Way to Promote Arab Reform - Steven A ...
BBC NEWS | Business | IMF and World Bank: Is reform underway?

In The News

Govt to form taskforce to expedite peace talks NepalNews
Maoists must lay down their weapons before joining an interim govt: US Congressmen Baird – who represents Washington D. C. ..... the US had indicated willingness and desire to take additional five thousand Tibetan refugees to the US ...... "We can do a lot, but in the end, it has to be the Nepali people themselves to take crucial decisions" .....
The Promise Inherent in Nepal-China Relations the optical fiber project along the 115 km long Arniko highway, is soon expected to connect Kathmandu to Hong Kong via Beijing and serve as an alternative to satellite communications. ...... Concentrating on vigorously expanding communication and transportation linkages with China will help Nepal to create new orientations for itself to East Asia, Central Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe and to Europe itself. In a rapidly globalizing world it is highly imperative that Nepali foreign policy be as proactive as possible.
German government supports Nepal peace process “The German Government encourages both sides to make the mission of the UN-Team and its assistance regarding the arms management a success.”
I haven't made phone calls in favour of monarchy: US envoy "The US believes that future of monarchy is something for the people of Nepal to decide" ..... it was not necessary for the US government to have a position on this issue. ...... Moriarty had referred to how V. I. Lenin captured the popularly elected Constituent Assembly through the use of force in Russia and engineered 'Bolshevik Revolution" – in the early 20 th century-- giving rise to an authoritarian communist state.
Teej in London: Some reflections - By Sangita Marahatta-Sharma
Royal families have shares in 17 companies

NEPAL: Schoolchildren still being put at risk, say activists Reuters AlertNet, UK
Nepal King has invested in 17 big firms: Report Hindustan Times, India
Royal cat out of Indian JV bags in Nepal India eNews.com
US pledges $32.8 mn for peace in Nepal Times of India, India The four-day visit to Nepal by a US congressional delegation winded up on Monday with an assistance of $32.8 million for peace, good governance and health projects. .... visiting congressional team headed by Jim Kolbe, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programmes, which funds USAID. ..... part of a total US development assistance package worth $45 million for 2006 and would be used for projects to be implemented in cooperation with NGOs, INGOs, private firms and individuals. ..... About one-third of the grant -- $10.6 million - has been earmarked to address the immediate impact of the decade-old Maoist insurgency and the ongoing peace processes. .... Since 1951, the US has provided $867 million in development assistance to Nepal.
Nepal Bags 8 Gold Medals in SAG OhmyNews International, South Korea
China to extend Tibet railway to Nepal Bangkok Post, Thailand

Maoist central committee meeting discusses draft interim statute, summit talks Kantipur Publications the meeting will also decide the locations of the cantonment areas for the rebel combatants across the country
Parties’ common stance a must: Speaker Nembang
DPM Oli meets chairman of GTAR of China
१७ कम्पनीमा राजाको मुख्य लगानी
राजनीतिक अन्योलप्रति सभामुखको असन्तुष्टि
अन्तरिम संविधानले सम्बोधन नगरेका कुरा
नयाँ नेपालको कल्पना

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अन्तरिम संविधानले सम्बोधन नगरेका कुरा

प्रदीप गिरी

सात दल र नेपाल कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी -माओवादी) समेतको सुझावअनुसार तयार हुने भनिएको अन्तरिम संविधानको मस्यौदा वार्ता टोलीलाई बुझाइएको छ । यो मस्यौदा आठ राजनीतिक दल र अन्य सरोकारका शक्ति अर्थात् नागरिक समाजसमेतको साझा दस्तावेज बन्छ भन्ने सबैको आशा र विश्वास थियो । तर बनेन ।

नेपाल एउटा सर्वथा नौलो तथा मौलिक प्रस्थान विन्दुको तलासमा छ । अन्तरिम संविधानले त्यस्तो आशा र तलासलाई सम्बोधन गर्नुपर्ने थियो । त्यो हुन सकेन । अन्तरिम संविधानमा साझा सहमति हुन नसक्नु खासमा भोलिको नेपालको हतास-सन्त्रासको पृष्ठभूमि भएको छ । मुलुकको नेतृत्व राजनीतिक दलहरूले गर्दैछन्, नेतृत्वमा रहँदासम्म उनीहरूले अहिले उत्पन्न भएको हतास र दुराशाको जिम्मेदारी लिनैपर्छ । राज्य र सरकारका निणर्ायक थलोमा पुगियो भनी रमाएका सात दलका नेताहरू आजको अस्पष्ट, अप्ठेरो, अपराधमुखी मनस्थितिनिम्ति मुख्यतः जिम्मेदार छन् । तर, माओवादी पनि यस जिम्मेदारीबाट उम्कन पाउँदैन । प्रधानमन्त्री गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाले माओवादीलाई हतियार भिर्दासम्म राजनीतिक दलका रूपमा स्वीकार नगर्ने भन्नुभएको छ । माओवादीले त्यसबाट विशेष क्षुब्ध हुने काम छैन । त्यसो भन्नु आज प्रधानमन्त्रीको कुर्सीमा बसेका मानिसको बाध्यता हुनसक्छ । होइन भने कुनै समय मुक्ति सेना र ओखलढंुगा काण्डका कमाण्डर भएका कोइरालाले सेना र राजनीतिक दलको सम्बन्धमा यस्तो वक्तव्य दिनु हुने थिएन ।

तर माओवादी वा उनीहरूका हात-हतियारबारे यस्तो विचार राख्ने गिरिजाप्रसाद एक जनामात्र होइन । शान्ति र सुरक्षाको खोजीमा व्याकुल नेपालीको ठूलो जनमत कोइरालासँग सहमत छ । स्थानीय माओवादी कार्यकर्ताका क्रियाकलापले आज पनि सात राजनीतिक दलको समर्थन-पंक्तिलाई आश्वस्त बनाएको छैन । त्यतिले नपुगेर फेरि बाँकी संसारको माओवादीप्रतिको शंका र दुविधा छँदैछ ।

नेपालमा एउटा साँच्चै नै अद्भुतको समयमा माओवादी आन्दोलनको बीजारोपण र विस्तार भएको छ । सोभियत संघको पतनपछि सिंगो संसारमा सबै किसिमको समाजवाद पराजित एवं हतास मनस्थितिमा पुगेको थियो । समाजवादी हुनु मात्र पनि विरोधको मात्र नभएर उपहासको विषय भएको थियो । यस्ता बेलामा माओवादीले दीर्घकालीन जनयुद्धको झन्डा उठाए । उनीहरूको सैनिक सफलता आश्चर्यजनक उपलब्धि थियो । एकातिर नेपालमा सधंै उपस्थित रहेको विशाल वामपन्थी जमातबाट उनीहरूले सम्बल प्राप्त गरे, अर्कोतिर हरेक कोणबाट रुग्ण र जर्जर भएको नेपाली राज्यले उनीहरूलाई टेवा पुर्‍यायो । नेपाली राज्य र समाज आज पनि मुठ्ठीभर टाठा-बाठाको पेवा भएको छ । यस्तो राज्यलाई चुनौती दिन कुनै पनि शक्तिलाई प्रभाव बढाउन अप्ठ्यारो थिएन । यी र यस्तै अनेकानेक कारणले माओवादी आजसम्म आफ्नो राजनीतिक र रणनीतिक लक्ष्यमा सफलता पाउन सफल भए । अब उनीहरूको वास्तविक परीक्षा सुरु भएको छ । सशस्त्र वा गुरिल्ला युद्धमा दुस्मनको सर्वाधिक कमजोर ठाउँमा प्रहार गरिन्छ । तर जन-राजनीतिमा विरोधीको सर्वाधिक मजबुत विन्दुमा प्रहार गर्नुपर्छ । नेपाली समाजको यो मजबुत विन्दु भनेको उसको संस्कार, सोचाइ र वर्गीय, जातीय संरचनासमेत हो । यस विन्दुउपर विजय प्राप्त गर्न अर्को किसिमको कोसिस र रणनीति आवश्यक छ । यो लडाइँ लामो पनि हुन्छ । यो लडाइँ कुनै एउटा खास दिनमा कुनै किल्ला वा जिल्लाको सदरमुकाम जितेजस्तो पनि हुँदैन । माओत्सेतुङले दीर्घकालीन जनयुद्ध गरेर चीनको राजधानी पुग्न २५ वर्ष पनि लागेन । तर चिनी जनताको सोचाइ र संस्कार फेर्न लडाइँमा उनी अन्ततः सफल भएनन् । हतियार व्यवस्थापनको कुरा आफ्नो ठाउँमा छ, माओवादी सन्तुष्ट भएको दिन त्यो होला । तर त्यसपछि पनि सम्पत्ति, भाषा, जातपातका लडाइँ यथावत् रहनेछन् । अर्कोतिर तथाकथित विश्व जनमत छ । यो जनमत खासमा पुँजीवाद र साम्राज्यवादको एकाधिपत्य र वर्चस्वको अभिव्यक्ति हो । कथित विश्व जनमत आज माओत्सेतुङ वा महात्मा गान्धीले उठाएको सवालप्रति बिल्कुलै उदासीन छ । विलासिता प्रधान र उपभोगमुखी समाजको अन्धानुकरणमा सिंगो संसार हिँडेको छ । यस्तो संसार बनाउने क्रममा आमजनताको इच्छा, भावना र आत्म चेतनाको खोजी र संगठन हुँदैन । आमजनतालाई पनि वस्तु मानिन्छ, डोर्‍याइन्छ, हातेमालो गरिँदैन । आजसम्म दुनियाँमा प्रचलित राजनीतिक प्रणाली यस्तै रहेका छन् । नेपाली जनताको प्रभावशाली जनमतले यस्तै राजनीतिक प्रणाली मात्र देखेजानेका छन् ।

माओवादी र सात दलबीचमा राजतन्त्रको भूमिका र भविष्यबारे मतैक्य छैन । अहिलेलाई यो मतभेद विराट संकटका रूपमा देखाइँदैछ । यो एक भ्रामक दृश्य हो । नेपालमा विद्यमान रहेका वर्ग, जाति र समुदायनिम्ति राजतन्त्र अब त्यत्रो चासो र आस्थाको विषय रहेको छैन । ठीक त्यस्तै, नेपालमा चलखेल गरिरहेका विदेशी शक्तिका निम्ति राजा चाहिएका होइनन् । एक्काइसौंं शताब्दीको नेपालमा भौतिक वा सांस्कृतिक दृष्टिले राजतन्त्र अपरिहार्य छैन । खासमा, हामी राजतन्त्रको बहसमा अल्झिएर केही अप्ठयारा मौलिक प्रश्न टारिरहेका छौं । मुख्य प्रश्न भनेको राजतन्त्र कि गणतन्त्र हुँदैहोइन । त्यो भोलि ल्याइने र हुने भनिएको गणतन्त्रको खाका नै आजको सर्वाधिक ज्वलन्त सवाल हो ।

आजका मितिसम्म नेपालका कम्युनिस्ट र प्रजातान्त्रिक शक्तिहरूले देखे-बुझेका दुईवटा राजनीतिक व्यवस्था छन् । आज पनि माओवादी र अनेक कम्युनिस्ट समूहसमेत तथाकथित जनवादी राज्यको अवधारणाबाट मोहित छन् । अगम बल लगाउँदा पनि मदन भण्डारीले बहुदलीय जनवादको सँघार नाघेनन् । ठीक माओवादीले त्यस्तै अस्पष्ट र द्वन्द्वग्रस्त २१ औं शताब्दीको जनवादको प्रस्तावना अगाडि सारेको छ । नेपाली राजनीतिमा प्रभावशाली रहेको मध्यवर्ग यस्ता प्रस्तावनाप्रति आश्वस्त छैन । तर त्यो प्रस्तावना स्वीकार नगरेको खण्डमा भोलिको नेपाल कस्तो बनाउने उसको आफ्नो विचार छैन । अस्पष्ट र मौलिक विचार नभएका मानिस चलनचल्तीका विचारबाट काम चलाउँछन् । अहिले सात दलका नेताहरू पनि राज्य र सरकारका विषयमा चलनचल्तीमा रहेका परम्परागत मान्यताका आधारमा काम चलाउँदैछन् । प्रधानमन्त्री कोइरालासमेतले पुरानो संस्कार र बानी बेहोरालाई छोड्ने जमर्को गर्नु भएको छैन । आजका मितिसम्म यसरी नै टालटुलाट काम चलेको छ । कोइरालाको सुदीर्घ राजनीतिक पृष्ठभूमि र अग्लो व्यक्तित्वले गर्दा अहिलेसम्म यस्ौ पनि चलिरहेछ । तर यो भोलि चल्नेवाला छैन । जनआन्दोलन-०६३ ले चलिआएका यस्ता सारा चलनउपर जोरदार प्रहार गरेको छ । ०४७ को संविधानले खडा गरेको राजनीतिक प्रणालीको पुनरावृत्ति अब हुन सक्दैन । त्यस्तो हुन्छ र त्यस्तै राख्नुपर्छ भन्ने सोचाइले मुलुकलाई ठूलो अनर्थ र अनिष्टतर्फ प्रवृत्त गर्नेछ ।

कार्ल माक्र्सले एकपटक एउटा कुरा भनेका थिए- 'आफ्ना स्वार्थसँग ठक्कर भएका खण्डमा मानिसले बरु रेखा-गणितका प्रमेयलाई चुनौती दिन्छ । तर हतपत आफ्नो स्वार्थ छोड्दैन ।' आज नेपालमा त्यस्तै दृश्य देखिँदैछ । अरूले के दिने र के छोड्ने भन्ने विषयमा हाम्रो मध्यवर्गीय नेतृत्व बिलकुल निभ्रान्त र अस्पष्ट छ । नेतृत्व वर्गअनुसार राजाले अधिकार छोड्नुपर्छ । ठीक त्यस्तै माओवादीले हतियार छोड्नुपर्छ । नेतृत्व वर्गले आफूले पनि केही छोड्नुपर्ने छ कि छैन ? यस विषयमा नेतृत्व वर्गको मौन र दुविधा स्पष्ट छ । अहिले अन्तरिम विधानमा आमसहमति नहुनुका पछाडि राजतन्त्रको भविष्य त खासमा अत्यन्त मामुली तगारो हो । जनमत संग्रहको सिद्धान्त स्वीकार गर्नासाथ त्यो तगारो पनि नाघिइसक्यो । तर अरू सवाल खुला रूपमा अगाडि आउन सकेका छैनन् । सवाल नआउँदासम्म उत्तर भेटिँदैन । सवाल र जवाफको यस्तै असामञ्जस्यले गर्दा प्रस्तुत भएको अन्तरिम संविधानका अनेकाअनेक दफा रेखाङ्िकत हुन सकेनन् । यो अशक्तता जनआन्दोलन-०६३ का उपलब्धि उपर अपि्रय प्रश्न चिह्न हो ।

जनआन्दोलनले एक सामान्य जनविद्रोह र क्रान्तिको सुदीर्घ परम्परामा एउटा नवीन पाना थपेको छ । त्यस्ता पानाका लिपि र लेख अहिले स्पष्ट पढ्न गाह्रो भएको हुन सक्छ । तर त्यसमा गहन निहितार्थ छ । २१ औं शताब्दीमा हुने र हुनुपर्ने विद्रोह तथा जनक्रान्तिको पूर्वाभ्यासमात्र हो जनआन्दोलन-०६३ । विश्वपुँजीवादले पछिल्लो ३ सय वर्षले सिंगो संसारउपर एउटा खास किसिमको संस्कार, जीवनमूल्य र उत्पादन-प्रणाली थोपर्दै आएको छ । अहिले इतिहासको यस घडीमा विश्व-पुँजीवाद आफ्नो उत्कर्षको चरम उचाइमा पुगेको छ । यस्तै चरमोत्कर्षमा पुगेपछि सभ्यताहरू ओरालो लाग्छन् भन्ने इतिहासको शिक्षा छ । जनआन्दोलन-०६३ विश्व-पुँजीवाद वा साम्राज्यवादको अधोगतिको पहिलो डाक हो । अब विश्वमा या त युद्ध, बरबरता र हिंसाको ताण्डवनृत्य चर्किनेछ या स्वेच्छाले शान्ति, प्रगतिशील र स्थिरतातर्फ लम्किनेछ । तर शान्ति, प्रगति स्थिर नेपालका निम्ति हामीमध्ये प्रत्येकले केही न केही त्याग गर्नैपर्छ । पुराना अनेकन बानी बेहोरा, संस्कार मिल्काउनैपर्छ । राजालाई दरबारबाट खेदेर वा माओवादीका बन्दुक खोसेरमात्रै समस्या टुँगिदैन । समस्याको एउटा पाटो हामी पनि हौं । यो चेत नहुँदासम्म सहमतिको अन्तरिम संविधान पनि तयार हुन सक्दैन ।

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Time For A New Nepali Congress

Talk of unification is gaining strength. That is positive. There is a need for a large party in Nepal that understands right to property is as fundamental as right to free speech. But the whole exercise will have amounted to not if the party does not make a serious attempt at internal democracy and does not get proactive on the issues of social justice.

To those who know more of the Congress' history, the party might come across as one that has stood for democracy in Nepal for the longest time. Me I see a party that dragged its feet in the 1990s on the burning issues of social justice, and carelessly played with the fire of blatant corruption. The party also failed to come up with a creative solution to the Maoist problem when only a few thousand lives had been lost. Why was the party so reluctant to adopt the agenda of a constituent assembly for such a long time?

Many in the Congress see Koirala as some towering figure. I see someone who has stayed on longer than he should.

My worst fear is the Congress will yet again fail to take the lead on party reform. It will be same old, same old.

The Koirala Congress is not yet fully for a republic, not yet forcefully for federalism. Neither Congress faction has a proposed map for federalism. These are not parties working hard to reimagine the future.

There is much talk of structural unification. There is little talk of ideas, and issues. There is little forward thinking. The Maoists continue to take the lead on social justice issues. Can a unified Congress try and snatch that lead from them? Will it even try? What is the Congress formula for a rapid economic growth in the country?

There are campaign finance reform issues. There are issues of transparency on party finances. Will the Congress take the bite and do something? So far I see no signs. The unification exercise is being seen by too many insiders as taking the Congress back to its glorious past of the 1990s. That past is not glorious.

Proposed Republican Constitution 2006 (January 1, 2006)
Janata Dal Constitution (August 8, 2005)
This Inadequate, Improper, Insufficient 1990 Constitution (April 4, 2005)

Between The Maoists And The Congress
My Work In The Ideas Department Is Complete
Who Will Tie The Bell Round The Cat's Neck
Language Policy
Alliance, GFIPN: Audio, Video
The Next Revolution Will Be At The Ballot Box
Political Synthesis Nepali Style
Mainstream Jay Krishna Goit Also
Arms Management: Break It Down Into Smaller Pieces
Madhesi Caucus In Interim Parliament Needed

Deuba Off To DC
Deuba In Jackson Heights
Deuba At Hotel Pennsylvania
Deuba At Columbia

Seven Party Forum In Jackson Heights

Critiquing The Nepali Congress Proposed Constitution
Congress Unification: Not Possible, Unnecessary
Why It Is Important To Me The Congress Takes Up A Federal Republic
Nepali Congress Or Praja Parishad
Congress Not Yet For A Republic

Nepali Congress Goes The UML Route, Almost
Narahari Acharya For Nepali Congress President
Somnath Ghimire On Leadership Crisis In Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress Slumber Party
Democratic Solidarity With The Nepali Congress
Time For The Nepali Congress To Take A Stand On The Constituent Assembly Question

Full text of Interim Constitution Draft (Nepali Version)

DishaNirdesh, Pradip Giri, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

On The Web

.::::: Nepali Congress Party :::::.
Nepali Congress - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nepal - Political Parties

In The News

Maoist central committee meeting begins in Kavre NepalNews
Ceremonial monarchy is a thing of past, says MK Nepal
Ian Martin arrives
Dozens of TU grads injured in police action in front of Singh Durbar
Tea workers withdraw strike, factories resume work
Government committed to ratify ICC Rome Statute: PM Koirala
Maoists beat UML cadre; locals hand over Maoists to police
Maoist women celebrate Teej festival in combat dress

King Gyanendra owns 18 big companies, hotels, says report Kantipur Publications King Gyanendra has invested in the nation's big hotels, cigarette and biscuit factories, tea garden estates, travel companies and hydroelectric projects, since he was crown prince. But the report says that the king handed over the companies and hotels to other members of the royal family after he took direct power. ....... The Soaltee Hotel in the capital, formerly owned by the king, is under 11 other members of his family. The hotel is worth Rs. 550 million at present. ...... Most of the shares of the more than 210 million-rupee-worth Soaltee Enterprises has been tendered to the king's daughter—crown princes Prerana. ...... the king has handed over his shares of Gorkha Travels, Nebiko Private Limited, Laxmi Vanaspati Ghee, Surya Nepal Private Limited, Surya Enterprises, Hotel Sehanhsah and Hotel Annapurna. ..... the king and his family members have shares in Himal Power Corporation, Sipradi Trading Private Limited, Laxmi Kattha, Bhote Koshi, and Laxmi Rosin Turpentine, among others. ..... The committee said that it needs more work to come up with a detailed report on the king's property and has sought the help of Nepal Rastra Bank in acquiring information about the monarch's holdings. ....... no official record was found regarding the selling of the Narayanhity Royal Palace to the government in 2026 B.S. In response to this, the committee held discussions on summoning the then prime minister Kirti Nidhi Bista for interrogation.
King must accept verdict of referendum: Nepal
Prime minister committed to ratifying ICC Statute
Locals hand over 4 Maoists to police
NA soldier injured in attack by APF men
रोम विधान अनुमोदनको प्रतिबद्धता
बेहुला-बेहुली दुवै पुरुष
माओवादी स्थानीयको नियन्त्रणमा
५० एकल महिलालाई रातो पहिरन
माओवादीद्वारा अपहरण
सशस्त्रद्वारा सैनिकलाई छुरा प्रहार
माओवादी बताउँदै लुटपाट
सेनाले घटनाको अध्ययन गर्न दिएन
असहमतिको दस्तावेज
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Tibet's new railway to extend to China-Nepal border: official People's Daily Online, China
Nepal government, Maoists welcome UN appointment Hindustan Times, India
Ceremonial monarchy is a thing of past, says MK Nepal Nepalnews.com, Nepal

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Pages

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Voting Rights For Immigrants In New York City

Monday, August 28, 2006

How To Conduct A Meeting

Reform Is Hard To Push Through

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Time For A New Nepali Congress